MACEDONIA: Macedonia’s PM says his army is using
heavy artillery and tanks to fight Kosovo based Albanian
rebels. On the Kosovo border BBC’s Nick Wood says there is
lots of guerrilla activity.

OIL PRICES: The head of BP in
NZ says that fuel prices are likely to rise in the next few
days due to an OPEC production cut. How many cents the rise
will be is not known. Peter Griffiths says it is normal for
oil companies to raise prices before OPEC’s cuts actually
take effect.

HARTNER CONSTRUCTION: Demands to have a
Statutory Manager appointed to Hartner Construction are in
the hands of government officials. The Securities Commission
will be advising the Minister about the case. They have so
far forwarded a complaint to the Companies Registra. Hartner
Construction recently went into receivership.

PRISON
LABOUR: All prison labour schemes are being transferred to a
central organisation which will be looking at getting into
computing and information technology areas as well as farm
labour. The Minister of Corrections says that the plan fits
in with public desires for prisoners to work
more.

SOUTHLAND POWER: Southland businesses are expecting
a boom in economic activity to follow completion of a new
power tunnel at Manapouri Power Station.

LIVING IN THE
COUNTRY: Would be rural dwellers are being warned about the
possible consequences. Noise from farm machinery and smells
from silage have to be accepted.

NSW BODY PARTS: The NSW
government has ordered an inquiry into the removal of organs
in public hospitals. Glebe Morgue has been accused of being
a body parts supermarket for medical researchers.

FOOT AND
MOUTH: A British Government spokesman is insisting that Foot
and Mouth disease has been contained after the number of
cases climbs over 300. Meanwhile another case has been
confirmed in Northern Ireland.

TAURANGA TRAMPER SEARCH: A
search is on for two elderly trampers who have gone missing
near Tauranga. About 50 people are involved in the
search.

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

Contact Alastair Thompson

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